Category Archives: Weekly Scripture Readings

Blog Scripture Readings for 10-5 Through 10-11-14

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THIS WEEK’S SCRIPTURE READINGS FOR STUDY AND DISCUSSION:

Parashat V’zot HaBerachah — Deuteronomy 33:1 – 34:12 ***
Haftarah — Joshua 1:1–18
Prophets — Zechariah 12:1 – 14:21; Malachi 1:1 – 4:6
Writings — 2 Chronicles 30:1 – 36:23
Testimony — Revelation 18:1 – 22:21

Most of this week’s blog discussion points will be on these passages. If you have general comments or questions on the weekly Scripture readings not addressed in a blog post, here’s a place for you to post those. Just use the “leave a reply” link below.

The full “Read Through The Scriptures In A Year” schedule, broken down by each day, can be found on the right sidebar under “Helpful Links.” There are 4 sections of scripture to read each day. One each from the Torah, the Prophets, the Writings, and from the Testimony of Yeshua. Each week, the Torah and haftarah readings will follow the traditional one-year reading cycle.

*** Parashat V’zot HaBerachah is usually read on Simchat Torah.

Weekly Blog Scripture Readings for 10/5 through 10/11/14.

 

Some thoughts on Revelation 17 (from my Bible commentary)

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Revelation 17:1, Great harlot. This seems to be referring to a system that is larger than the Roman Catholic church and her Protestant daughters, or even a revived Islamic state or caliphate. How about a merging of the two: Chrislam? The Catholic Church has been making ecumenical overtures to Islam for years. The only way for the New World Order to achieve world peace may be to unite the world’s major religions at some level (how about the United Nations of Religions, which the Roman Catholic Church is now considering?). If Catholicism and Islam can unite in some bizarre way, then, no doubt, the Hindus and Buddahists (and the other smaller major world religions) will want to join in on the game as well. The great harlot “sits on many waters” or peoples, and so this religious system involves many nations of the world.

Revelation 17:3, Seven heads and ten horns. The political and economic beast system that the religious system rides has seven heads and ten horns, which represent its political and economic power base. The beast the woman sits astride is devoted to devil worship (or Luciferianism, Rev 13:2, 4).

Revelation 17:6, Saints…martyrs of Yeshua. Are these two different  groups of people? The set-apart ones (those who keep YHVH’s commandments and have the testimony of Yeshus (or love Yeshua by keeping his commandments) as opposed to those who just “believe in Jesus” (your standard cultural Christian)?

Revelation 17:9, Seven mountains. Since Rome is built on seven hills, some have speculated that this is a reference to the Roman Catholic Church. There are also seven continents. Additionally, there are seven main economic powers on earth according to the International Monetary Fund called the G-7 (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States).These are the world’s wealthiest nations that represent 63 percent of the world’s net global wealth. Or,  from a historical perspective, these seven hills could be referring to the seven manifestations of world-ruling Babylonian system (Babylon one, Egypt, Babylon two, Persia, Greece, Rome, the end times Babylon the Great New World Order). The latter interpretation makes the most sense in light of what John says in the latter part of this verse. From his perspective, five of these kingdoms were past and the Roman Empire presently was ruling, and one was yet to come (v. 10).

Revelation 17:10, Five have fallen, one is. When John wrote this, Babylon one, Egypt, Babylon two, Persia, Greece had fallen, Rome was in power, and the one worldwide end times system was yet to come.

Revelation 17:12, Ten horns…ten kings. This appears to be referring to ten global regional kingdoms into which the New World Order Babylon the Great system is subdivided. These ten kingdoms will last for a very short time (“one hour”) before they, along the Babylon the Great beast system to which they swear allegiance is destroyed at Yeshua’s second coming (v. 14).

Revelation 17:16, These will hate the harlot. The ten horns will hate the whore. This is likely since the goals of religious leaders are different and thus conflict with those of the global business and political leaders. The religious goals of the former will likely tend to obstruct the business interests of the latter. The political and economic leaders owe their power and allegiance to the devil, as do the religious leaders (although they may fail to realize this). This may be what causes the ten horns of the political system to hate the harlot. This verse says the ten horns (not the beast that she rides) will hate the harlot. The harlot is likely tied into the beast spiritually, politically and economically at the highest levels, but, perhaps, the ten regional global governments will, out of jealousy, see the woman as a threat to them because of her power and influence in their respective regions resulting in their opposing her. Perhaps this explains the unstable mixture of clay and iron of the ten toes of the Babylon the Great, antichrist New World Order system that Daniel saw in his vision of the great image of the man, which Yeshua, the uncut stone from heaven (a metaphor for the Torah-word of Elohim) destroys at his coming (Dan 2:31–35).

 

Some thoughts on Revelation 13 (from my Bible commentary)

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Revelation 13:1, The beast. The beast of Revelation 13 that rises up out of the sea is the end times New World Order, anti-Christ system comprised of the kings of the earth and their armies (see Rev 19:19). This beast is the political and economic branch of the Babylon the Great New World Order system. The metaphor of the sea is a Hebraism for the seas of humanity. This could be a reference to all the oceans of the earth or just to the Mediterranean Sea. Since all the kings of the earth follows this beast (v. 3), and “all the world” worshipped the dragon who gives authority to the beast (v. 4), it seems that seas is likely a reference to all the seas or oceans of the earth. This beast seems to correspond with the fourth beast of Daniel’s four beast vision (Dan 7:7ff).

Revelation 13:1, Seven heads and ten horns. The seven heads appear to the seven “world”-ruling manifestations of this Babylonian beast down through the ages to the present time (i.e., Babylon one, Egypt, Babylon two, Persia, Greece, Rome and end times Babylon the Great comprised of all nations (the New World Order). The ten horns are likely ten global semiautonomous regional governments, which, when combined, comprise all the nations of the earth and make up Babylon the Great. This may be what Daniel saw in the ten toes of the great image of Daniel 2. Perhaps the two legs of that image represent apostate Christianity and Islam — the two great religions of the world, which are in nearly every nation — united in some way. The two legs could also represent the first Roman Empire and an end times revived Roman Empire that is birthed out of Europe and which becomes the New World Order, which is the head of Babylon the Great. The fourth beast of Daniel’s four beast vision also had ten horns (Dan 7:7). Daniel speaks of a little horn coming up in the midst of the ten horns, which plucked three of the first horns up by the roots (Dan 7:8). This same horn speaks pompously (Dan 7:8, 11) and makes war against the saints (Dan 7:21, 22, 25) and prevails against them until Yeshua destroys it at his second coming (Dan 7:11, 21, 22). John uses similar language to describe the political and economic beast of Revelation 13:1. This beast also makes war against the saints and overcomes them (Rev 13:7).

Revelation 13:2, The dragon gave him his power. This is the ultimate end-times antichrist system.

Revelation 13:7–8, Every tribe, tongue and nation…all who dwell on the earth. Does this beast have authority over every single heathen on earth, and every last heathen on earth will worship him? In the Scriptures, all and every are sometimes used as hyperbole where exaggeration is used to emphasize a point. (For a discussion of this, see notes at 2 Sam 16:22 and Zech 14:2.)

Revelation 13:8, Whose names. This states that some names aren’t written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. This seems to fly in the face of the idea that all humanity’s names are written in the Book of Life, only to be erased when they fail to receive the salvation of the Lamb.

Revelation 13:11, Another beast. This beast is the religious leg of the Babylon the Great New World Order. This beast comes out of the earth (probably the European or Eurasian continent), since this would be the perspective of the John, the writer.

Two horns. The religious branch of Babylon has two horns — one that speaks like a lamb and one that speaks like a dragon. Could this be a reference to an ecumenical uniting of apostate Catholic Christianity (with her apostate daughters) and Islam?

Revelation 13:16, He. This is a reference to the religious beast. It is this beast who causes all humans to take a mark on their head or hand, in order that they might buy or sell. In other words, the religious beast component of Babylon the Great uses its miraculous power and spiritual deceptions to entice humanity to worship the image of the first or political and economic beast (a cloak for Satanic worship). This false religion beast is behind the effort to kill all those who refuse to worship the image of the beast.

Revelation 13:18, The number of the beast. Which beast is being referred to here — the first or second beast? The first beast would be political figure, while the second beast would be a religious figure.

 

Blog Scripture Readings for 9-28 through 10-4-14

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THIS WEEK’S SCRIPTURE READINGS FOR STUDY AND DISCUSSION:

There is no Parashah reading this week due to Yom Kippur
Haftarah — none this week
Prophets — Zechariah 5:1 – 11:17
Writings — 2 Chronicles 23:1 – 29:36
Testimony — Revelation 11:1 – 17:18

Most of this week’s blog discussion points will be on these passages. If you have general comments or questions on the weekly Scripture readings not addressed in a blog post, here’s a place for you to post those. Just use the “leave a reply” link below.

The full “Read Through The Scriptures In A Year” schedule, broken down by each day, can be found on the right sidebar under “Helpful Links.” There are 4 sections of scripture to read each day. One each from the Torah, the Prophets, the Writings, and from the Testimony of Yeshua. Each week, the Torah and haftarah readings will follow the traditional one-year reading cycle.

Weekly Blog Scripture Readings for 9/28 through 10/4/14.

 

Yom Teruah begins tonight. Learn more…

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Happy Yom Teruah!

Yom Teruah 33398989

The fourth biblical holiday (the first one of the fall season) begins tonight according the ancient biblical calendar (as opposed to the modern, rabbinic, Constantine calendar used by most religious Jews and many Messianics). In the Bible, this holiday or holy day is called Yom Teruah (Lev 23:23–25). The modern religious Jews have their own holiday, which is a substitute for the biblical Yom Teruah, and which usually falls on a different day. They call this substitute holiday Rosh Hashana. It has very little to do with the true biblical holiday of Yom Teruah. You will understand this more fully as you read below.

To learn more about Yom Teruah and what it signifies past, present and future and to learn how to celebrate it, I invite you to read my article on the subject (below).

The Historical Roots of Our Faith, Present Relevance for Believers & Prophetic End-Time Implications

Arise thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Messiah shall give thee light. (Eph 5:14, also 8–16)

Yom Teruah—The Beginning of the Fall (End-Time) Harvest

Yom Teruah or the Day of Shouting; the Shofar Blasts (commonly called “Rosh Hashana”) occurs at the end of the summer months and marked the beginning of the fall harvest or festival season for the ancient Hebrews. Prophetically, the summer months between the spring feast of Shavuot/Weeks (Pentecost) and the fall feast of Yom Teruah is a spiritual picture of what is often called the “Church Age,” which is the period of time from the Feast of Pentecost in Acts 2 until the return of Yeshua the Messiah at the end of the age and lasting for approximately 2000 years. For many, especially those living in hotter climes, summer is a time of leisure, vacation, weariness and fatigue due to the excessive heat. Likewise, many Bible believers have fallen asleep growing spiritually weary while waiting for the return of the Messiah. Yeshua discusses this issue in the Parable of the Ten Virgins (Matt 25) who all grew weary and fell asleep awaiting the coming of the Bridegroom (Yeshua).

This all changes on the first day of the seventh month of the biblical Hebrew calendar when off in the distance the sound of a shofar blast suddenly pierces the atmosphere and registers in the eardrums of those who have fallen asleep. Not only does this shofar blast signal the beginning of the seventh month when the new crescent moon is sighted, but it announces the return of the Bridegroom (Yeshua) coming for his bride (the virgin saints). As in the Parable of the Ten Virgins, the cry went forth that the bridegroom was coming and all awoke from their slumber to prepare for his arrival. In these end days, that cry is going forth even now for all to hear, to awake and to prepare for the arrival of Yeshua the Messiah.

In the biblical calendar, the visible sighting of the crescent new moon always marks the beginning of the month and is announced by the shofar blast (Ps 81:3). Likewise, on the first day of the seventh month of the biblical calendar, the arrival of the new moon (called Rosh Chodesh) when the shofar sounds marks the beginning of Yom Teruah. This is the Continue reading →

 

Who are the 144k and innumerable multitude?

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The 144,000 Saints Versus the Great and Innumerable Multitude
There are two groups of believers mentioned Revelation chapters seven and 14. They are Yeshua’s 144,000 bride-priests and the carnal or lukewarm believers who get spiritually refined in great tribulation.

The 144,000 are spiritual virgins who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They are redeemed believers and first fruits of Elohim (Rev 14:4).
The 144,000 are without deceit or fault (i.e., sin) before YHVH’s throne of judgment (Rev 14:5). How can it be said that someone is without fault without being Torah-obedient, since the Torah defines sin (1 John 3:4)? Indeed, those who are the saints that make up the 144,000 must be Torah-observant and be walking under the blood of Yeshua (Rev 12:17; 14:12).

The meaning of the names of the patriarchs of the 12 tribes have a hidden message pertaining to the bride of Yeshua, which is more proof that the 144,000 are the bride.

  • Judah means “Now I will praise YHVH.” (Gen 29:35)
  • Reuben means “Surely YHVH has looked upon my affliction.” (Gen 29:32)
  • Gad means “What good fortune.” (Gen 30:11)
  • Asher means “Happy am I.” (Gen 30:13)
  • Naphtali means With great wrestlings have I wrestled.” (Gen 30:8)
  • Manasseh means “For Elohim [said he], ‘has made me foreget all my toil.’” (Gen 41:51)
  • Simeon means “ Because YHVH has heard that I was hated.” (Gen 29:33)
  • Levi means “ Now this time will my husband be joined to me.” (Gen 29:34)
  • Issachar means “Elohim has given me my wages.” (Gen 30:18)
  • Zebulon means “Elohim has endowed me with a good gift, now my husband will dwell with me.” (Gen 30:20)
  • Joseph means “YHVH shall add to me.” (Gen 30:24)
  • Benjamin means “You shall have this son. (Gen 35:17–18)

Combined the names tell the following story:

Now will I praise YHVH. Surely YHVH has looked upon my affliction. What good fortune. Happy am I. With great wrestlings have I wrestled and I have prevailed. For Elohim has made me forget all my toil because YHVH has heard that I was hated. Now this time will my husband be joined unto me. Elohim has given me my wages. Elohim has endowed me with a good gift. Now my husband will dwell with me. YHVH shall add to me. You shall have this son.

What is the seal of God (Rev 7:3)? A seal is a signature, stamp, sign, brand or identification mark signifying ownership. A seal in the forehead symbolizes that one has the mark is completely yielded and subservient to the one who placed the mark.

It seems that there are two groups within Christianity or redeemed Israel: Ephraim and Manasseh. Manasseh means “forgetful.” Could this prophetically represents those Christians who have forgotten their heritage, the Hebrew roots of their faith, namely the Torah? Ephraim means “doubly fruitful.” Could this be a prophetic reference to believers who have both the Torah commands of YHVH and who have the testimony or the faith of Yeshua (Rev 12:17; 14:12) — the two identifying marks of the end time saints or bride of Yeshua in Revelation?

There are other references in Revelation to the non-bride, carnal or lukewarm believers (see Rev 3:14–22). This could include the great multitude of Revelation 7:9–15 who came out of great tribulation who are before the throne of Yeshua, but are not necessarily kings and priests and are different than the 144,000. There may be those still coming out of Babylon the Great just prior to her destruction (Rev 18:4). Revelation 16:2 may hint at a group of people who refuse to take the mark of the beast and who are on earth during the bowl judgments. Revelation 14:4 mentions first fruits. If there are first fruits, there must be second fruits—others who will be part of a later spiritual harvest.

Who Are the Great and Innumerable Multitude (Rev 7:9–17)?

Who comprise this great and innumerable multitude? It’s unlikely that they’re the 144,000 bride, since they are a larger number than the 144,000 and since Yeshua has to “lead” (lit., to show the way, teach, guide) them to the fountains of living water (Rev 7:17), which is the Torah (see Ps 36:2 [iniquity or sin is lawlessness or Torahlessness, see 1 John 3:4], 6 [righteousness is Torah obedience, see Ps 119:172; judgments is a biblical synonym for Torah, since the Torah’s standards form the basis for the judgments of Elohim], 9 [fountain of life, light are biblical metaphors for the Torah], 12 [iniquity or sin is lawlessness or Torahlessness, see 1 John 3:4]). Who will help to teach this innumerable multitude (those who were lukewarm believers), but who became spiritually hot during the fiery trials of the great tribulation (see Rev 3:17–18)? It will likely be the 144,000 righteous priest-king brides of Yeshua who had known Yeshua all along, and who had been keeping his Torah-commands (Rev 12:17; 14:12).

Revelation 16:15 (cp. 3:14–22) speaks of two categories of believers: those who watch and keep their garments clean, and those walked in nakedness and shame (who presumably aren’t watching or keeping their garments clean). There are garments of righteousness that YHVH clothes us with at the time of our initial salvation (Isa 61:10), but the garments of good works or righteousness are a result of our good works of Torah-obedience and which will determine the saint’s level of rewards in YHVH’s kingdom (Rev 19:7–9 cp 3:17–18; 2 John 1:8).

 

Glorification and Adoption as Sons of Elohim

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Revelation 3:9, Worship/bow down before your feet. This scripture has puzzled many. Who are these saints before which those who are of the synagogue of Satan will at some time in the future bow down in worship? Who are those who are of the synagogue of Satan? First, the saints are wearing crowns (verse 11) and they have the name of Elohim written upon them (verse 12). We know that a group of saints will be ruling with Yeshua in his millennial kingdom (Rev 1:6; 5:10). These same will be part of the first resurrection (Rev 20:6), which occurs at Yeshua’s second coming. Not all saints will be kings and priests. There are levels of rewards (and responsibilities) in YHVH’s kingdom depending on how obedient one has been to his Torah-commandments. This Yeshua teaches in Matthew 5:19. Some saints will be the least in his eternal kingdom, while some will be the greatest depending on their level of Torah-obedience. Similarly, Yeshua identifies two groups in his Parable of the Ten Virgins (Matt 25:1–13). The wise virgins will go into the wedding supper of Yeshua, and presumably will become his bride. In Revelation chapter three, Yeshua further identifies two groups of believers: those who are spiritually lukewarm and those who are spiritually hot (Rev 3:14–22). It is not a stretch to connect those who are spiritually on fire in Laodicea with those in Philadelphia who have been faithful to his commands, who will be given a crown and who will be worshipped.

Can we further identify these faithful saints who will be worshipped (or before whom the knees of lower order saints will bend) in Yeshua’s kingdom? They have crowns and are thus ruling as kings and have the name of Elohim written on them. Similarly, the 144 thousand have the seal of YHVH’s name on them (Rev 7:3–4 and 14:1), and they keep his Torah commandments and have the testimony or faith of Yeshua (Rev 14:12). These are the likely candidates for being those Yeshua describes in Matthew 5:19 who will be the greatest in the kingdom of Elohim, and who others will worship (Rev 3:9).

Why would people be worshipping (or bending the knee before) these glorified, resurrected and kingly saints? There are several possible explanations here. First, the bride of Yeshua will be ruling and reigning with Yeshua as a queen (in ancient Jewish thought) or like a king (under Yeshua, who is the King of kings, as presented in the Book of Revelation). Second, Paul teaches us that those saints who will be resurrected will be literally adopted (Rom 8:15, 23; 9:4; Gal 4:5; Eph 1:5) into the family of Elohim as sons of YHVH Elohim.

In Galatians, Paul speaks of redeemed believers being both Abraham’s seed and being adopted as sons of Elohim (Gal 3:29; 4:5). Elsewhere where the term adoption is used in the Testimony of Yeshua, it is in reference to our relationship with our Heavenly Father, not with our earthly father, Abraham. The redeemed are therefore, sons or the seed of Abraham, yet adopted into the family of Elohim as spiritual sons (Rom 8:15, 23; Eph 1:5). In other words, the saints are literal sons or seed (physically) of Abraham, yet adopted sons (spiritually) of YHVH. This adoption will be finalized or completed at the resurrection when the saints receive their spiritual bodies (Rom 8:23), for then they will be like him for they shall see him as he is (1 John 3:2).

Elohim is a plural word in Hebrew and can mean many things, and has many usages in the Scriptures. It is used to refer to the Creator, YHVH Elohim, as well as to angels, kings, judges and humans in authoritative capacities. When the saints are resurrected, they will be as Elohim and will be part of the family of Elohim, though they will not be Elohim, who has existed forever and is the Creator of all things. It appears that these saints will be worshipped, not as YHVH Elohim, but as his created sons who have been elevated through the process of redemption, sanctification, glorification and adoption into members of the family of Elohim.